Valve operating mechanism



June 3, 1952 J. H. sc HMlD VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed April 4, 1947www a mw 7 E m m 8/53 3 3 V In Z/xwkn r/ L H, a W muuu H QCM L D 2 c c cc c: c c T. /o v4 bi, f Al 95 m0 7 6 2 WMJ Q. V. A

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Patented June 3, 1952 2,599,204 y VALVE OPERATING MEonANrsM John H.Schmid, Erie, Pa., assignor to J. A. Zurn Manufacturing Company, Erie,VPa., a. corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 4, 1947, serialNo. 739,422'

This invention relates generally to valve operating mechanisms and moreparticularly to valve operating means for valves in a non-freezinghydrant disposed a substantial distance below the surface of the earth.

It has heretofore been customary to provide threadable members inconjunction with a valve stem to move a valve into sealing relationshipwith a valve seat. No provision is made for wear and deterioration ofthe valve and seat in these prior devices with the result that leakageresults after a very short period of operation. Excessive force isapplied on the valve seat in these prior devices resulting in excessivewear on the seat and seating member. `All connections in'lthese priordevices between the handle and valve stem have been direct throughthreadable connections thereby placing excessive forces on the threadsresulting in free play and excessive resisting frictional forces therebetween. There is no provision to take up valve wear in these priordevices.

It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to overcome the above andother defects in valve operating means and it is more particularly anobject of my invention to provide valve operating mechanism for anon-freezing hydrant which is simple in construction, efficient inoperation, economical in cost, and economical in manufacture.

Another object of my invention is to provide counterbalancing springs torelieve tensions in valve operating mechanisms in anon-freezing hydrant.o y

Another object of myinvention is to provide a flexible connectionbetween a valve operating mechanism and a valve so that wear of thevalve and seat and other parts do not aiect the operation of the valve.

Another object of my invention to provide a valve operating mechanismwherein all direct connections between the handle and valve stem areeliminated and direct pressure is applied to a valve stem by aspring'means to compensate for Wear of valve parts.

Another object of my invention lis Ato provide a valve operatingmechanism wherein the greatest force necessary for closing the valve isata point in the rotation of thel handle where greatest leverage may beapplied.

Another object of my invention `is to provide positive means forcomplementing spring means to open a valve. A Y Y f ,Another object'ofYmy invention is toV provide a valve operating mechanism which may beremoved in a minimum of time.

9 Claims. (Cl. 251-134) Other objects of my invention will becomeevident from the following detailed description, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a valve operating mechanism for ahydrant valve illustrating my novel invention;

Fig. 2 is a view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig, 1; and

Fig. 3` is a view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Referring now to the drawings, Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show al Valve body I ofa non-freezing hydrant having a vertically extending passage 2 and avalve seat 3 in threaded flanged portion 4 on the lower side of thevalve body I for threadable connection to a threaded Water pipe 5. Aconventional removable valve seat (not shown) may be provided ifdesired. The threaded flanged portion 4 is in axial alignment with thepassage 2 of the valve body I. The valve body I has an internallythreaded portion 6 on the upper end thereof for receiving a sleeve 'Iwith venting aperture 50 having a threaded portion 8 threadably engagingthreaded portion 6 of the valve body i. The sleeve I has a threadedportion 9 on the upper end thereof for threadably engaging the threadedbossed portion of a rectangular shaped member I'2. A valve rod I3extends concentrically of the valve sleeve 1 and passage 2 of the valvebody I and is connected to a valve stem Ill by a U-shaped threadedcoupling member I5 and a pin I6. Multiple spaced cylindrically-shapedwasher members I 'I are spaced along the valve stem I4 by spacingmembers I8 and are attached thereto and between a threaded nut 20 and athreaded member 2l threadably engaging the threaded end 22 of the valvestem I4. A valve seating member 23 for sealingly engaging the valve seat3 of the valve body I is secured to the under side of the threadablemember 2| by a threaded screw 24 threadably engaging a threaded aperturein the end of the member 2|. A coil spring 25 is disposed in tensionaround the upper end of the valve rod I3 and has the lower end thereofsecured to the valve rod I3 by a headed screw 26 and has the upper endthereof engaging at 21 a cap member 28 which has cut-away portions 29for engaging the upper end of the sleeve 1. The valve rod I3 has anabutting member 3o ,fixed thereto, such `as by Welding, above the capmember 28 and engages the lower end of a comparatively heavy coil spring3l which is substantially` heavier but shorter than the spring 25. Theupper end of the spring 3| is engaged by a ilat annular member 32 whichin turn engages a transverse shaft 33 which moves longitudinally inslotted portion 34 in the reduced end portion 35 on the upper end of thevalve rod I3. VThe shaft 33 has xedly and pivotally mounted thereon acam member 36 having upwardly extending cam portions 31 on the upperside of parallel arms 38 connected to a handle 39 for moving the camportions 31 through substantially a 90 degree arc. The upper side 40 ofthe member I2 has smooth cam engaging surfaces 4I on the lower surfacesthereof for engaging the upwardly extending cam portions 31 of the cammember 36 when it is moved to a position as shown in Fig. 1.

The parallel arms 38 move in parallel slots 42 in the side and top ofthe member I2. An outwardly projecting abutting member 43 is formed onthe inner side of the memberV I2 to engage the cam portions 31 of thecam member 36 when the upward pressure of the springs 25 and 3l areinsufficient to move the seating member 23 from the seat 3.

In operation, when it is desired to sealingly engage the valve seat 3 ofthe valve body I and the seating member 23 to shut off the ilow of waterfrom the water pipe 5, the handle 39 is moved downwardly until the camportion 31 of the cam member 36 engages the cam engaging member 40 whichforces the spring 3l downwardly against the abutting member 3i) therebyforcing the valve rod I3, valve stem I4 and seating member 23 intosealing engagement with the valve seat 3 of the valve body I. Becausethe length of the spring 3i is comparatively short, the handle 33 passesthrough a considerable portion of its travel before the spring 3| exertsany appreciable degree of kpressure on the abutting member 33.

Because the spring 3i is comparatively short, maximum pressure on thehandle 39 is only necessary when the handle 39 reaches nearly ahorizontal position in which position maximum pressure may be appliedthereto because the weight of the person can be fully applied. When itis desired to move the valve seating member 23 away from the seat 3 inthe valve body I to permit flow of fluid from the water pipe 5, the cammembers 31 are moved downwardly by raising the handle 39, therebypermitting the-valve rod I3 to move upwardly through spring 25 to movethe valve seating member 23 away from the valve seat 3 to permit theflow of water. The spring member 3i will come to rest after the handle33 moves a comparatively short arcuate distance of its complete traveland the spring member 25 will move the valve seating member 23 and thesealing washers I1 a spaced distance from the valve seat 3 of the valvemember I and hold it in an open position.

Where the valve seating member 23 and the seat 3 freeze for anyparticular reason, and the spring 25 does not exert adequate force tosepa,- rate them, the abutting member I3 is engaged by the cam portions31 of the cam member 36 and by moving the handle 39 in acounter-clockwise direction, the transverse shaft 33. engages the upperportion of the slotted reduced end 35 of the valve rod I3 and moves itupwardly to separate the seating member 23 and the seat 3.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that I have devisedsimple means for relieving the excess wear on valvesv and seats of ahydrant, means for compensating for wear and deterioration in thevalvesand seats orv a hydrant, means for simplifying and reducing forcesrequired fer the closing of the valve in a hydrant and positive leveragemeans for opening the v alve when it becomes frozen.

It will further be evident that the valve rod I3, stem I4, and seatingmember 23 may be simply and easily removed in that the collar 28 towhich spring 25 is connected seats freely on the upper end of thesleeve 1. Furthermore, by utilization of springs, greater allowance ofmanufacturing tolerances is permitted, seating is positive, and thevalve is quick opening.

Various changes may be made in the specific embodiment of my inventionwithout departing from the spirit thereof, or from the scope of theappended claims.

What I claim is:

l. In combination with a valve having a seat, `a valve actuatingmechanism comprising a valve stem having one end thereof longitudinallyslotted and a seating member connected to the other end thereof adaptedto sealingly engage said seat, a spring for urging said stem and seatingmember away from said seat, a comparatively heavy spring for urging saidstem and seating member on said seat, a transverse shaft movable in theslotted portion of said stem and in engagementwith the outer end ofYsaid heavy spring, and a cam member for moving said shaftlongitudinally of said valve stem whereby said seating member connectedthereto is seated on said seat.

2. A valve operating'mechanism for opening and closing a verticalymovable valve comprising a vertically extending sleeve, a valve rodmovable in said sleeve. having one end connected to said valve, a capsurrounding said rod freely mounted on the upper end of said sleeve, acomparatively light coil spring in said sleeve surrounding said rodattached to said cap, fastening means for attaching the other end ofsaid spring to an intermediate portion of saidv valve rod to urge saidvalve to an open position, an abutting member affixed to said rod abovesaid cap, a comparatively heavy, short coil spring surrounding said roddisposed on said abutting member, a member movable axially of said rodengageable with said heavy spring, a cam member engageable with saidlast mentioned member to move said member into engagement with saidheavy spring and move it longitudinally against the force of saidcomparatively light spring Yto move said valve to an open position, andcam engaging means carried by said sleeve.

3. A valve operating mechanism as set forth in claim 2 wherein said camengaging means comprises a housing disposed on the upper end of saidsleeve and said cam member is an offset cam member pivotally connectedto the upper end of said valve rod and engageable with the upper side ofsaid housing to move said axially movable member against said heavyspring.

4. A valve operating mechanism as set forth in claim` 3 wherein saidhousing has an abutment on the side thereofA engageable by said cammember to positively move said valve rod longitudinally.

5. A valve operating mechanism for moving a valve rod longitudinaly toopen and close a valve comprising a vertically extending sleeve, acollar freely mounted on the upper end of said sleeve, a removable valverod extending through said collar and said sleeve, a comparatively lightcoil spring surrounding said valve rod in said sleeve having one endconnected to said collar, fastening means for connecting the other endof said spring to sad rod to move said valve. rod longitudinally to opena valve. an abutting member on said rod above said collar, acomparatively heavy, short coil spring disposed on said abutting member,a longitudinally movable ring member engaging the upper end of saidheavy spring, a lon7- gitudinally movable transverse shaft engaging saidring member, a cam member adapted to movef` said shaft longitudinally ofsaid valve rod whereby said ring member engages the outer end of,l

said heavy spring and moves said heavy spring and said rod against theforce of said compara tively light spring to close a valve, and camengaging means mounted on said sleeve engageable by said cam member.

6. A valve operating mechanism as set forti;

in claim 5 wherein said cam member comprises upwardly extending camportions, and a handle is attached to said cam portions for moving saidcam member against said cam engaging means whereby said transverseshaft, ring member,

heavy spring, and valve rod are moved longi'-,

tudinally of said valve rod. o 7. A valve actuating mechanism comprisinga longitudinally movable valve rod for opening and closing a valvehaving a longitudinally extend-A ing slot in one end thereof, a verticalsleeve sur rounding said rod, a freely mounted cap member mounted onsaid sleeve and surrounding said rod, a coil spring in said sleeveconnected to said cap member, means for connecting the other endl ofsaid spring to an intermediate portion of said rod to urge said valverod upwardly, an abutting member on said rod disposed above said capmem; ber, a comparatively heavy, short spring disposed on said abuttingmember surrounding said rod, a transverse shaft movable in the slottedportion of said valve rod and engageable with said heavy coil spring, acam member pivoted on the upper end of said shaft, and a cam engagingmember disposed on the upper end of said sleeve engageable by said cammember to move said transverse shaft against said heavy coil springwhereby said valve rod is moved downwardly against the force of saidcomparatively light coil spring.

8. A valve actuating mechanism as set forth in fclaim 7 wherein said camengaging member has an abutment engageable by said cam member wherebysaid valve rod is positively movable upwardly.

9. A valve actuating mechanism as set forth in claim 7 wherein said cammember has a handle for operating same, said comparatively heavy springbeing comparatively short so that the heavy stress on said handle isduring its lower arc of movement.

JOHN H. SCHMID.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 171,138 James Dec. 14. 1875684,418 Essex Oct. 15, 1901 1,092,482 Griflin Apr. 7, 1914 1,910,909Werden May 23, 1933 2,236,620 Cornelius Apr. l, 1941

